Tag Archives: Open House

True confessions from Art Center at Night students, captured on video

Each term, Art Center at Night holds an open house, offering current and prospective students a brief glimpse at what goes on within the walls of its open-air classrooms. It’s a fleeting, but essential, experience for career-changers and seasoned and aspiring artists preparing to make the leap into what’s arguably the city’s most high-intensity after-hours creative education. It’s also an opportunity likely missed by anyone with extended working hours or family obligations (i.e., those who need it most).

Don’t fret. We’ve got your back. At a recent open house, we asked students to get in front of the camera and share with us what Art Center’s continuing studies program has meant to them. The answers were as diverse as the individuals themselves. See for yourself in the video above.

Perhaps it’s time to contemplate what Art Center will mean to you.

An early peek at Art Center at Night’s newest offerings for makers, change-makers and career-changers

Waiting_KristinKirgan

Need a career makeover? Ready to explore a new path? Have a dream to fulfill?

Consider your wait over.

Next Wednesday, Art Center at Night (ACN) is holding its annual open house at Art Center’s South Campus from 7–9 p.m. At the event, visitors have a chance to explore the broad range of opportunities available through Art Center’s continuing education program.

At Experience Art Center at Night, visitors can: sit in on classes (see participating courses); observe student presentations and critiques; meet ACN’s instructors; see student work; register for Fall courses; learn about Art Center’s full-time degree programs; enter a raffle to win a free ACN course; and share their ACN experiences in the event’s first ever video confessional booth.

The event is also the perfect opportunity to learn more about and sign up for ACN’s newest courses. This coming Fall term, the program is offering more than a dozen new courses, including:

Digital Painting for Entertainment
Painting can seem complicated. But by understanding the medium and combining foundation skills with more lateral approaches, you can discover the joy of digital painting. This introductory digital painting course is designed specifically for aspiring entertainment design, entertainment arts, and illustration students. Instructor: Justin Pichetrungsi

Dimensions: Exploring Dynamic Objects
Before you can successfully create sculpture or make art, you must expand your definition of objects and object-making past the notion of craftsmanship. This course will challenge you to consider how objects can engage us emotionally and conceptually and offer you the opportunity to work with new tools and materials. Instructor: Mason Cooley

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Making It Happen: A Conversation with Art Center at Night’s Dana L. Walker

Open House 2010, Photo by Lara Warren

Are you looking for a new challenge? Do you need to add a valuable skill to your art and design practice? Or perhaps you’re interested in applying to Art Center College of Design’s full-time degree program and need to build a portfolio? Stop dreaming about the possibilities and make it happen with Art Center at Night (ACN).

Managing Director of Public Programs and Director of Art Center at Night Dana L. Walker took a break from preparing for tomorrow’s Open House to talk to us more about the program and its offerings for fall.

Dotted Line: What is the value of a continuing studies program like Art Center at Night?
Dana L. Walker: There are no single career paths in today’s world. Jobs are taking on more and more skills and responsibilities due to consolidated workforces, increased freelance opportunities versus staff positions, and a variety of other reasons. Art Center at Night (ACN) helps those trying to add to their design skill set, as well as those wanting to take their careers into a different direction. For instance, technology might have changed since you began your design career, and now you need to get up to speed quickly. There are ACN classes for that.

But I also find that there are a number of people who started out in digital careers coming to ACN get the full range of design foundation that they may have missed in their studies. They want to understand everything that came before digital—use of typography, color theory, visual communication and such. Sometimes they want a tactile experience where they’re not designing on a computer monitor. We’re seeing a growing desire for these sorts of experiences, making things by hand.

Dotted Line: How does a program like ACN adapt to the changing economic climate?
Walker: We’ve developed smaller, shorter‑term classes as well as some online and weekend intensives. A full term is 14 weeks, but we are offering many 7-week courses and one-day seminars. These can be easier for many students because it’s less of a commitment, in both time and money.

Dotted Line: What type of student attends ACN?
Walker: The program is for anyone age 18 or over—students looking to develop their portfolios for acceptance into Art Center’s degree programs, working professionals, retirees—and everyone in-between searching for a way to explore their creative side. We have classes tailored for all of these people.

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It’s Here: Week 14

Photo by Lara Warren

Art Center, we’ve made it to the final week of the term—Week 14—and you know what that means: tons of events culminating in Graduation on Saturday.

Rest up and prepare for:

  • Wednesday, Aug. 17, 7-9 p.m.: Art Center at Night Open House (South Campus)
  • Thursday, Aug 18 5 pm: Teen Art Park Unveiling (Hillside Campus. Free and open to all.)
  • Thursday, Aug. 18, 6 pm: Graduation Show Preview and Alumni Reception (invitation only)
  • Saturday, Aug. 20, 3:30 pm: Faculty Reception (faculty, special guests and College leadership)
  • Saturday, Aug. 20, 5 pm: Summer 2011 Graduation (Hillside Campus, and webcast live)
  • Saturday, Aug. 20, 7 pm: Graduation Show (Hillside Campus)

Let the fun begin!

Designer Sami Hayek on Art Center at Night

Hayek

With registration for the Fall Term of Art Center at Night (ACN) beginning Monday, August 15, you may find yourself wondering who exactly enrolls in Art Center’s continuing studies program.

ACN offers hundreds of courses that attract everybody from art and design professionals looking to enhance their skills, to mid-career professionals looking for a creative challenge, to individuals preparing a portfolio for admission to one of Art Center’s full-time degree programs.

Over the years, many students have made the leap from taking an ACN course to being a full-time Art Center student.

We recently spoke to Art Center alumnus Sami Hayek, whose new Espacio Sami Hayek line debuted last May at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York. Hayek credits ACN for helping him assemble a portfolio that lead to his admission into Art Center’s Environmental Design program.

Here’s what he had to say:

“I was studying business administration when, one day, I realized that I was going to have a boring life ahead of me if I continued this pursuit. At first I was leaning more towards architecture, but after researching the field I realized I wanted something more diverse, which led me to environmental design.

“I knew Art Center had the best Environmental Design program out there, but I didn’t know how tough it was going to be for someone like me—coming from business with practically no design skills—to get admitted into the program. When I visited Patricia Oliver, chair of the department at the time, she asked if I had a portfolio. When I said no, she suggested I attend Art Center at Night (ACN) in order to build one.”

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Swing By Art Center at Night’s Open House

Photo by Lara Warren

Have you ever wondered about Art Center at Night (ACN), the College’s continuing studies program? Then check out Experience Art Center at Night, underway at South Campus through Wednesday.

A variety of classes are open to the public tonight and tomorrow night from 7 to 9 p.m. Stop by a class, sit in on critiques and student presentations, view student work, take a self-guided tour of South Campus, ask questions and register for Summer Term classes.

ACN offers a variety of courses, short workshops and seminars to help you update your skills, polish your portfolio or recharge your creative energy.

New ACN courses include The Ultimate Photo-Shoot Guide for Photographers and Designers; Create and Publish Content for iPad, iPod Touch and iPhone; and Transpor-Tainment. “Summer-only” offerings include Manufacturing Techniques; Shoes: Fact and Fantasy; Neoimpressionism: Painting the Landscape; and Animal Sketching.

Courses begin May 16, and registration is now open. Check it out—there is something for everyone at ACN.

Save the Date: Undergraduate Open House

Interested in attending Art Center for undergraduate studies?

Visit Hillside Campus and find out more about us at Art Center’s Undergraduate Open House on Sunday, Feb. 13.

Tour campus, view student work and meet distinguished faculty and staff from our undergraduate programs. There will also be an admissions and financial aid presentation for participants.

See you there!

Art Center Undergraduate Open House
Sunday, Feb. 13, Noon-4 p.m.